Second Indian River County DRC Begins Operations
Release Date: October 7, 2004
Release Number: 1539-179
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ORLANDO, Fla. -- State and federal officials announce the opening of a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Indian County for victims of Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne. There are now 30 centers operating on Florida’s Peninsula. The new center opened on Thursday, October 7.
Indian River County
North County Library DRC
1001 Sebastian Boulevard
Sebastian, Fla.
Victims of the hurricanes are urged to register for assistance first by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The TTY number is 1-800-462-7585 for those who are speech or hearing-impaired. After applying, those who have questions may visit a center to meet face-to-face with recovery specialists.
All centers are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. [A list of the 11 Panhandle DRCs is on page 2, and a list of the 30 Peninsula DRCs is on page 3.] An applicant may visit any one of 41 DRCs. Example: if an applicant from Martin County goes to Orange County, he or she can be assisted at the Nicor Building DRC.
Representatives of state, federal, and voluntary agencies, as well as loan officers from the U.S. Small Business Administration, will be on hand to answer questions and provide recovery information.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Helpline is experiencing a record number of calls. Because of this high volume, residents with only minimal losses, owners of commercial properties, and those who are able to start the recovery process are now urged to wait a few days before calling the Helpline. The Helpline is the option on the FEMA 800 number for people who have already registered to find the status of their application and get answers to various questions.
The State Emergency Response Team is a collaboration of Florida’s state agencies led by the state coordinating officer. SERT’s mission is to ensure that Florida is prepared to respond to emergencies, recover from them, and mitigate their impact. For the latest information on the hurricane relief effort, visit http://www.floridadisaster.org.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne DRCs, by county, now operating: http://www.fema.gov/press/2004/hurricane_drc.shtm
Last Modified: Friday, 08-Oct-2004 09:17:41